893.00/4493: Telegram
The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 25—2:30 p.m.]
285. Following telegram has been received June 24, 7 p.m. from Huston:
“Urgent. June 23, 10 p.m. Sun appears to be willing to retire if allowed dignified exit. Hinted that if consular body would offer good offices might be acceptable. British consul general is willing in order to avoid further fighting. Sun awaiting arrival Northern Expeditionary Forces58 claims rank and file of the navy still loyal despite any agreement of naval officers with Chen, is still at Whampoa.”
Situation as indicated in above telegram and in Huston’s previous telegrams to the Department direct and to Legation does not seem to me to justify, certainly it does not necessitate mediation or offer of good offices by consular body. Mediation by foreigners might eliminate Sun Yat-sen more speedily but it would not permanently settle the issue which would inevitably return to plague the Chinese.
If Chen Chiung-ming himself cannot bring about Sun’s retirement the Peking Government should grapple with the difficulty. Sun is the one outstanding obstacle to re-unification which with disbandment of superfluous troops is the cardinal policy of President Li Yuan-hung and his Cabinet and supporters. That policy has gained great impetus and outside events have favored its consummation during the last few weeks without the Government’s doing anything. Now that nothing remains but the elimination Sun Yat-sen, not victorious but defeated, it would seem that the undertaking should be left to the Chinese Government if Chen Chiung-ming cannot or will not accomplish it.
I venture to suggest also that foreign mediation will dignify and magnify Sun Yat-sen and assure him of prestige in the future. Please instruct.
- The so-called “Punitive Expedition against the North”.↩